Her secret cloaks her in isolation and loneliness.His secret traps him in a life that is not his own.

Cecily Faire carries the shame of her past wherever she treads, knowing one slip of the tongue could strip away everything she holds dear. But soon after accepting the position of lady’s companion at Willowgrove Hall, Cecily finds herself face-to-face with a man well-acquainted with the past she’s desperately hidden for years.

Nathaniel Stanton has a secret of his own – one that has haunted him from birth and tied him to his father’s position as steward of Willowgrove. To protect his family, Nathaniel dares not breath a word of the truth. But as long as the shadow looms over him, he’ll never be free to find his own way in the world. He’ll never be free to fall in love.

When the secrets swirling within Willowgrove Hall come to light, Cecily and Nathaniel must confront a painful choice: Will they continue running from the past . . . or will they stand together and build a future without the suffocating weight of secrets long suffered?

My Review

I loved the second book in this series, The Head Mistress of Rosemere. I was looking forward to visiting the Rosemere School for Young Ladies again, even if briefly, and learning more about Cecily Faire. I am happy to say that I was not disappointed. A Lady at Willowgrove Hall definitely lived up to my expectations.I just love the way Ladd writes these stories. It is smooth, languid, and authentic for the time period. It isn't as layered as reading Dickens or Austen, but the feel of the words and the tone of the dialogue always immerse me in historical England, like I am listening to conversations from that time period. I also appreciate that the actions of the characters are very much authentic to the time as well when what was proper was foremost and paramount. Ladd has been consistent across this entire series, so that those who enjoy Austen as well as those who enjoy historical romance will enjoy these stories.Cecily was a bit of a question mark for me in the last book and I was happy how her story unfolded in this book. We are given the gist of her past, as well as the hero's, almost immediately, but there are still years between what happened and what is currently going on in these two characters' lives. It left the development of their feelings somewhat open as they had to decide if they would let their pasts affect their futures and if, for the first time, there was a strong enough reason for them to change. I loved how these two main characters met and how their relationship and friendship developed. I also loved the Stanton family, as well as Mrs. Trent and Clarkson. The descriptions and characters painted a full picture of this estate and small town that would have existed in many places during this time period and how tenants and those from the village lived versus the great house or landowner. There was also some added conflict to the story as Cecily becomes determined to find her estranged sister.Both Cecily and Nathaniel felt their pasts would restrict their lives. They both carried these burdens that they had to learn to let go of, to forgive, and to open their hearts. I appreciated that the inspirational moments felt like they were just a part of these characters' lives and the story. The characters had to flounder a little, to learn who to trust, to let go. The ending was really sweet in how Nathaniel came to Cecily's aid.I thoroughly enjoyed reading A Lady at Willowgrove Hall. It was full of family, friendship, learning to forgive and trust, letting go, and a sweet romance. I loved how the characters developed during the course of the story and how the two main characters' relationship developed over time, first to friendship and then to the possibility of something more. I would definitely recommend this to historical romance readers, regardless if they enjoy inspirational fiction or not.Content: CleanSource: I would like to thank the publisher, Thomas Nelson, and Litfuse Publicity for my complimentary copy, which did not affect my review in any way.

About the Author

Sarah E. Ladd has more than ten years of marketing experience. She is a graduate of Ball State University and holds degrees in public relations and marketing. "The Heiress of Winterwood" was the recipient of the 2011 Genesis Award for historical romance and a finalist in the Debut Author category of the 2014 Carol Awards. The second book in the series, "The Headmistress of Rosemere" (2013), was on the ECPA best-seller list for several months. Sarah lives in Indiana with her amazing husband, sweet daughter, and spunky Golden Retriever.

Award-winning author Sarah E. Ladd examines how to escape the clutches of a tainted past in the final installment of her Whispers on the Moor series. A Regency-era novel, A Lady at Willowgrove Hall cleverly shows that even though our pasts may be shameful or painful, God can take the darkest personal histories and turn them into the brightest futures.

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About Tressa

Welcome to Wishful Endings! This is where I geek out about all things bookish (mostly YA, but also Romance, Christian Romance, LDS Romance, and occasionally other genres and hobby titles)! I always include content info in my reviews so you know what you're diving into. I enjoy helping publishers and authors promote their books as co-owner of Prism Book Tours. Outside of blogging, I'm a total Marvel geek, Austen lover, and enjoy hanging with the family (husband, four kiddos, and pup).

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